PETITS FOURS

Steps:

• To prepare the genoise: Grease and line a 9-inch cake tin with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the eggs and sugar until tripled in volume, and thick and ribony, like whipped cream. Add the vanilla. Scatter over the flour and salt, a spoonful at a time, and gently fold it in without over mixing. Pour the batter into the pan, and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 25 min. Let cool in the pan for 10 min. before removing to a rack, and cool completely. To prepare the topping: Melt the jelly with a Tbsp. of water in a saucepan and strain. Lay the cake on a rack, bottom up, and brush the jelly mixture over the surface. Roll out the marzipan exactly to the size of the cake and lay it on top. Trim the edges of the cake, wrap, and chill for 1/2 hour so it will cut neatly. While the cake chills, make the icing: Put the corn syrup with 2 Tbsp. warm water in a saucepan and heat to dissolve. Beat in the sugar, adding about 2 more Tbsp. of warm water (or part liqueur, if you like) to make a smooth icing which, when poured, will drape over the cakes like a satin sheet. Tint the icing with food coloring if desired. Remove the cake from the refrigerator and cut into perfect 1-inch squares with a sharp knife. Place them on a wire rack set on a baking sheet. Spoon the icing over each cakelet to coat completely. Let the icing set and repeat. Decorate the cakes, and store in an air-tight container until serving.